The best contributions are those that inspire people to do great things. Ever since Monsanto Fund was established in 1964, our philanthropic goal has been to bridge the gap between people's needs and their available resources. We want to help people realize their dreams, and hopefully inspire them to enroll others in their vision.

Just as the people and places where Monsanto operates are diverse, so is our approach to contributions. Some grants emanate from our headquarters community in St. Louis, while others come from our facilities in the U.S. and around the world. Still another kind of giving comes in the form of matching gifts that support our employees' generosity.

Regardless of source, all of our giving falls into four Priority Areas: Improving Nutritional Well Being through Agriculture, The Environment, Science Education and Our Communities.

Additionally, our efforts are governed by our Operating Principles, which are at the core of how we approach our work and illustrate the values we bring to all our interactions:

We pledge to:

• Demonstrate clarity, equality and integrity in our processes
• Emphasize diversity and inclusion of all people
• Participate actively in the projects we fund
• Listen for understanding to the opinions of internal and external collaborators
• Respect the physical, social, spiritual and cultural circumstances of prospective grantees
• Be humbled by and appreciative of our responsibility